Furnishings and finishes utilized in interior or controlled environmental applications commonly utilize outer surface materials permeable to air, water vapor, water and fluids, such as woven fiber fabrics and carpeting made with composite fiber surfaces. Problems may arise when permeable furnishings and outer layer components are exposed to water and other liquids: for example a spilled beverage may soak into upholstered furniture seating, or into carpeting and underlying cushioning material. And of particular concern is identifying such exposures and damages associated therewith.
For example, vehicles, including passenger automobiles, trucks, rail cars, aircraft, all-terrain vehicles (ATV's), mobile homes and campers may be sophisticated, complex and expensive, requiring a substantial commitment of funds for purchase and maintenance, and which may command high prices for rental or lease to third parties or resale to subsequent purchasers and also retain substantial residual value at the end of a rental or lease term. The value of these vehicles or compliance with lease or rental agreement terms may be dependent in part on the condition and maintenance of interior passenger area seating and flooring finishes and underlying material conditions. And dwelling units such as houses, apartments, condominiums, hotels, inns, motels and school dormitories also incorporate furnishings and carpeting with outer layers permeable to liquid exposure and incursion.
When rain or snow is admitted into a building or vehicle interior through open windows, skylights, trunk lids or retracted convertible tops, seating, bedding, carpeting and/or underlying cushioning materials may be exposed to significant amounts of water. Other liquid-based chemicals and products, such as including foodstuffs and beverages (soft drinks, oils, vinegars, syrups, juices, coffees, teas, sports drinks, etc.) and common household chemicals (lubricating oils, gasoline, kerosene, anti-freeze compounds, cleaning fluids, liquid bleach) may also be spilled in dwelling and vehicle interiors or trunk areas. The furnishings or their underlying cushioning materials may absorb and retain said water, liquids or chemicals, which may result in a variety of actual or potential damage to the furnishings, associated components, or to components of structures or vehicle incorporating them. Illustrative but not exhaustive damage examples include rust, mildew, molding, odor, and structural deteriorations, and other damage will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
Problems arise when a party with knowledge of a water or chemical exposure fails to provide this knowledge to a current or prospective owner or operator of a vehicle or dwelling unit, for example intentionally withholding the information in order to improperly inflate the market value of a vehicle or dwelling unit. And an undiscovered spill may only manifest itself through an unpleasant odor after termination of a car or dwelling rental or occupancy period and during or after a subsequent rental or lease to another customer, making determination of the appropriate party responsible for the exposure difficult or impossible.
Prior art methods for determining whether or not interior furnishings and finishes have suffered a spill or other water or liquid exposure event generally rely upon physical inspection and verification techniques. However, surface evidence of an exposure may be cleaned-up or cured, leaving no visible indication of the exposure of the underlying materials and components, and some water or clear fluids may leave no visible evidence as they soak through and saturate the underlying areas. Other non-visual evidence such as odors caused by the exposure may also be abated or masked by cleaning and disinfecting agents. And some evidence may fade, diminish or disappear over time, along with the practical ability to detect or verify the liquid exposure event, even as rust, mildew and/or mold damage is slowly progressing toward a later manifestation. Furthermore, evidence of a liquid exposure event may be intentionally obstructed or removed in order to actively conceal the event.
Adequately discovering or abating liquid exposure events may require invasive techniques that are difficult, time consuming or necessitating damage. For example, automobile seating and floor and trunk coverings, and dwelling unit carpeting, are generally installed permanently for their expected service life, and discovering or abating liquids soaking through an outer layer may require cutting open or removing seat, floor or trunk coverings to access the underlying areas.